Saturday, 13 April 2013

To Bletchley!

I took a posse of North London gamers up to Bletchley today, for the Society of Ancients Chalons Battleday.  The Battelday is about using as many different ancient rules as possible.  We played with Simon MacDowall's attractive miniatures, and his Comitatus rules.  Here are some shots, first my "Romans" and their allied Germans (foreground):-


And opposite, the dastardly Hun and their own German allies:-


I led the Roman side, as Aetius.  After a lengthy scrap, the battle resolved into 3 combats; on our left, under my son Harry, the Romans were ascendant and the foe on the back foot:-


On the right, though, "our" Goths were badly bruised and either running for home, or thinking about getting off, soonish:-


In the centre, where I was (as Aetius), with our reluctant Alans, there was a terribly confusing kettle melee, which swung first one way, and then the other.  Eventually, after killing one of Attila's sons in melee, I charged the man himself, in an attempt to win the battle before dusk fell:-


... and challenged him to single combat.  Unfortunately...


...he killed me!  (but I did, at least, wound him).  This turned the battle into a defeat, for us.

It was a very enjoyable day.  Simon MacDowall gave a very informative presentation about the battle, Richard Lockwood had everything nicely organised, and I got to chat to a couple of other gamers including Rob Broom and Phil Steele.  Rob Broom's War and Conquest game is below, and looked rahter fine:-


There was also a very impressive Armati game, with a hi-tech table including magnetic hills and edges, which I intend to copy at some stage...


I'm afraid I didn't have time to photograph any other games, but it was a great day.  I'm knacked!

If you aren't a member of the Society of Ancients, it's an excellent idea to join for the magazine, Slingshot, and to support excellent wargaming events, such as this one.

Friday, 12 April 2013

Thapsus, part the first

As I mentioned yesterday, Dug, mates and I re-fought the Roman Civil War battle of Thapsus 46BC, on Wednesday, using my draft ancients rules.  I won't dwell too long on the background to the battle, as I'll be writing it up as a magazine article, but here are Dug and my photos; all pics are clickable!


Above is a shot along the table (8' wide by 6' deep), with Caesar's Populares on the left, and the Pompeian Optimates, with their Numidian allies, on the right.  North is towards the bottom of the picture.  On on the near flank the table is bordered by the sea, and on the far flank a salt lagoon (neither shown).


The Optimates (above) looked a bit scruffy, especially the natives; the Caesarians (below, background) look like that scene in Spartacus...



Above, Caesar's slingers getting the range of the Numidian elephants (below).



The slingers have found the range of the elephants; but the deceased pachyderms provide a useful vantage-point for Titus Labienus, on the Pompeian left.


Above, the Caesarian centre rushes forward, as in the historical battle.


...and finally, for today, the surviving elephants plough into a cohort of V Alaudae, supported by a mass of Numidian city militia.

Tomorrow I'll be at the SOA Battle Day in Bletchley, and hope to see you there!  So Thapsus part II will likely hit this blog, on Sunday.

Thursday, 11 April 2013

Road trip!

Yesterday I spent a very jolly day in a shed in Cambridge, with Dug Page-Croft (below, with wife Jen) and his mates. 


Dug very kindly hosted a re-fight of the battle of Thapsus, using my draft set of ancient wargaming rules, and my Caesarian Roman and Numidian armies, on the Zama boards.  


It all seemed to go very well, and the sun even came out!  I'll do a proper write-up tomorrow, when I have a bit more time, but here's a couple of (clickable) photos to be going with...


Tuesday, 9 April 2013

Salute?

I went to buy my Salute 2013 queue busters earlier tonight, and found that the ship has sailed; apparently they stop selling them 2 weeks before the event.  Doh.  

I could still buy at the door, but I now find myself in two minds about whether or not to go this year, partly because of the expense, and partly because there's nothing that is really saying "you must see this" or "you must buy this", to me.  I don't tend to play in the participation games at Salute, either, I prefer to do that with friends, or at more intimate venues.  

Shall I have a lay-in and paint some minis, instead?  Hmmm...

EDIT- I have now located a ticket, and thought of a couple of good reasons for making the trip, so I'll be there, Saturday week!

Sunday, 7 April 2013

Ghost phalanx...

...being the final 80-something phalangite minis I need to paint from scratch for the phalanx, by the end of April.  There are another 200 minis off with painters, too, that will need to be finished and based in May.

Saturday, 6 April 2013

Aventine African Elephants WIP II

Since my last post, I have finished the howdahs, stained and varnished.  I was very pleased with how the howdahs came up, Rawhide!  Now they just need crews, and escorts...


I based the trapping colours on those of a rug I bought in Marrakech 10 years ago, that is on our lounge floor.  Post Raphia, when time permits, I will probably go back and add some more detail to the trappings.


When the crew are added, I might add a very fine dry-brush of dust to the completed models.

Friday, 5 April 2013

Agemata Basilikoi

I've not had a chance to photograph these until now, these are the Ptolemaic guard, with the Agemata on the right, and the Peltastoi on the left, they are clickable.  


The peltastoi are the junior unit.  There is some controversy about how they were equipped; whether with a full length or shortened sarissa, or even as light infantry.  I went for the full 100mm.

A lousy photo, I'm afraid, I'll take a proper one when they are finished (they aren't flocked yet).      The minis are a mix of Foundry (mostly) and Polemarch.  Flocking will have to wait, as I want to focus on painting all the remaining pike minis, first (6 down, 5 to go).  Then I'll have a week or two of flocking hell, to face.